Will the Bullpen Be the Phillies’ Downfall Again?

The Philadelphia Phillies are having a strong season, with a 37-24 record and sitting just 1.5 games behind the New York Mets in the competitive National League East. With a lineup full of talent and playoff experience, the Phillies look like a team that could make a serious run at the World Series. But there’s one big problem that just won’t go away: the bullpen.

In baseball, the word bullpen means the group of pitchers that a team uses. Right now, the Phillies’ bullpen has a 4.65 ERA. That’s the sixth worst in all of Major League Baseball. To put that in perspective, they’re grouped with teams like the Chicago White Sox and the Miami Marlins, clubs that are nowhere near playoff contention and definitely not thinking about the World Series. For a team as talented as the Phillies, that’s a major concern.

This issue isn’t new. In the 2024 playoffs, the bullpen completely fell apart. In their NLDS series against the New York Mets, Phillies relievers had an ERA of 11.37. That collapse played a huge role in their early exit from the postseason.

A Closer Problem and Possible Trade Targets

Jordan Romano has taken over as the closer for Philadelphia, but he’s struggled badly, posting a 7.36 ERA. Without a reliable option to finish games, the Phillies have blown key leads.

Help could be on the way. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is known for being aggressive at the trade deadline, and the team is expected to look for a new closer. Two names that stand out are Pete Fairbanks from the Rays and Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals.

Fairbanks has a 2.05 ERA and has saved 10 of 11 games this season. He throws hard and has been steady under pressure. Finnegan, an All-Star in 2024, has converted 16 save chances with a 2.61 ERA and has not allowed a single home run all year. Either pitcher would be a major upgrade.

Even ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed out that the bullpen is Philadelphia’s biggest need at the trade deadline. “Maybe it’s Pete Fairbanks. Maybe it’s Kyle Finnegan. Maybe it’s both,” Passan wrote. In other words, the Phillies might need to go all in to fix this issue.

The Phillies have everything else it takes to compete for a championship. Their starters are strong, their lineup can hit, and they have playoff experience. But if the bullpen doesn’t improve, it could be the one weakness that stops them from reaching their World Series goal.